KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
10-Feb-2026
A migrant labourer, Ashok Kumar, was injured after three bike-borne assailants opened fire at a group of migrant workers in Khosa Jalal village, Moga district on February 10. The attackers, identified as associates of the Davinder Bambiha gang, claimed the shooting was a protest against migrants “spoiling Punjab’s atmosphere” and sarpanches who support them.
10-Feb-2026
On February 10, the second day of the second phase of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar-2—the police conducted 2,706 raids, checked 2,596 individuals, and arrested 1,634 persons, including 53 proclaimed offenders. Preventive action was taken against 534 individuals, while 1,015 persons were verified and released.
10-Feb-2026
On February 10, Punjab Police, on day 346 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 215 drug smugglers and seized 2.7 kg of heroin, 863 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 12,040 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
09-Feb-2026
On February 9, the first day of the second phase of Punjab Police’s statewide “war on gangsters” (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahaar-2—the police conducted 2,760 raids, checked 1,895 individuals, and arrested 1,250 persons, including 40 proclaimed offenders. Preventive action was taken against 298 individuals, while 666 persons were verified and released.
09-Feb-2026
On February 9, Punjab Police, on day 345 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 72 drug smugglers and seized 26.4 kg of heroin, 772 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 12.17 lakhs drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
09-Feb-2026
On February 9, nine schools in the national capital received bomb threat emails purportedly sent by the Khalistani outfit Khalistan National Army, triggering immediate action by the Delhi Police and emergency response agencies in New Delhi. The email, in which the sender identified himself as Engineer Guranakh Singh Rukan Shahwala of the Khalistan National Army, contained threats and slogans such as “Delhi will become Khalistan,” “Schoolan vich aaj dhamaka 1:11 pm hovega” (there will be a bomb blast in schools at 1:11 pm), claims that a bomb would explode in Parliament on February 13 at 1:11 pm, and assertions that “Punjab has already become Khalistan” (“Punjab hui Khalistan”). The email also termed Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister (UHM) Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar as “enemies of Khalistan” (“Modi–Shah–Jaishankar walian de dushman”), the message alleged.
09-Feb-2026
The Amritsar Commissionerate Police on February 9 dismantled a cross-border arms and narcotics smuggling module, arresting five accused and seizing six sophisticated pistols, 10 live cartridges, 115 grams of heroin, and INR 11.90 lakh drug money in Amritsar district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested individuals were actively linked to a cross-border smuggling syndicate involved in the illegal trafficking of arms and narcotics. The module was allegedly facilitating the movement of weapons and drugs into the region.
09-Feb-2026
Police on February 9 arrested a person, identified as Balveer Singh alias Vicky, and seized 4 kg of poppy husk from his possession in Nawanshahr in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
09-Feb-2026
Police on February 9 arrested a person, identified as Kulwinder Kumar alias Gaggi, and seized 2.35 grams of heroin from his possession in Rahon in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
09-Feb-2026
Police on February 9 arrested one person, identified as Dalbir Singh, and seized 100 intoxicant tablets from him near Subhanpur in Kapurthala district.
09-Feb-2026
Police on February 9 arrested a youth, identified as Mangal Singh, and seized 40 capsules of Pregabalin, a banned psychotropic substance, from him near Sadar Kapurthala in Kapurthala district.
09-Feb-2026
Police on February 9 arrested two persons, identified as Amandeep Singh and Harmanjeet Singh, and seized 10.20 grams of heroin and INR 10,000 in drug money from them at Nijjer Chowk in Kharar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district.
08-Feb-2026
The Amritsar Rural Police, in a joint operation with the Border Security Force (BSF), on February 8 arrested two persons and recovered 25 kg of heroin, two pistols, and 60 live cartridges during a targeted operation in the Ghogha area under the Bhindi Saidan police station in Amritsar district. According to senior police officials, the operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs regarding a cross-border smuggling attempt. Preliminary investigations suggest that the consignment was smuggled into Indian territory from Pakistan using drones, indicating the involvement of an organised cross-border smuggling module.
08-Feb-2026
The Kapurthala City Police on February 8 arrested two youths, identified as Prince and Virinder Singh, and seized 14 grams of heroin from their possession in Kapurthala district.
08-Feb-2026
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on February 8 announced the launch of a 72-hour “Operation Prahar 2.0” against gangsters, beginning February 9. Highlighting the success of the first phase, the DGP said that more than 5,000 gangsters and their associates have been arrested since January 20. During the first phase of the campaign—dubbed ‘Gangster te War’ (war against gangsters)—Punjab Police conducted 17,603 raids across the state, arresting 5,290 individuals, including gangsters and criminals, and recovering 128 weapons. Preventive action was taken against 2,973 persons, while 5,413 individuals were verified and released after questioning. Police also arrested 344 proclaimed offenders (POs), he said. The DGP, however, noted that despite some cases dominating headlines, Punjab’s crime rate per lakh population remains significantly below the national average. “The national average crime rate is 450 per lakh population, while Punjab’s is 227. Similarly, the national average for heinous crimes is 31.2, compared to 21 in Punjab,” he asserted.
08-Feb-2026
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on February 8 said that the Punjab Police have made extradition or deportation requests for 38 gangsters operating from different countries. He said the action has been initiated through the Centre under the prescribed legal procedure. The DGP added that these 38 individuals are part of a list of 61 gangsters who have been orchestrating criminal activities in Punjab from abroad, and action is being initiated against the remaining accused as well. “We will arrest wanted gangsters from any corner of the country,” Yadav said after chairing a meeting of senior police officials and district police chiefs.
07-Feb-2026
On February 7, the 19th day of Punjab Police’s statewide ‘war on gangsters’ (Gangsters Te Vaar) campaign—Operation Prahar—police conducted 584 raids, arresting 180 persons and recovering two weapons from their possession. Preventive action was taken against 112 individuals, 266 persons were verified and released after questioning and 7 proclaimed offenders were also arrested.
07-Feb-2026
On February 7, Punjab Police, on day 343 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 95 drug smugglers and seized 12.3 kg of heroin, 160 kg of poppy husk, 321 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 2640 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
07-Feb-2026
Patiala police on February 7 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Harpreet Singh alias Happy, and seized 1 kg of heroin from his possession in the Rahon Road area of Ludhiana district.
07-Feb-2026
Police on February 7 arrested an operative of an organised narcotics network, identified as Harshdeep alias Harsh, and recovered 8 kg of heroin and INR 3.5 lakh in drug money from his possession near Chitti village in Gurdaspur district.
07-Feb-2026
Police on February 7 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Wasim, and seized 3 kg of heroin and INR 2.25 lakh in drug money from his possession at a naka near the Paniyar sugar mill in Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district.
07-Feb-2026
According to reports, the role of an employee of local Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) functionary Satwinderpal Singh alias Lucky Oberoi, who was gunned down outside a gurdwara in Jalandhar district on the morning of February 6, is under the scanner. When police officials reached the residence of Joga Pholriwal, they found him missing, and his family claimed to be unaware of his whereabouts. Police sources said there is strong suspicion that one of Oberoi’s workers may have provided details of his movements. It also emerged that the worker had allegedly been beaten by Oberoi a few months earlier after being found consuming drugs.
07-Feb-2026
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on February 7 criticized the Punjab government, saying criminals no longer fear the law, with gangster-related incidents occurring on a daily basis. He stated that gangsters are willing to go to any extent to take revenge on their rivals and are operating fearlessly across the state.
07-Feb-2026
The wife of a retired Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), identified as Rachna Devi, was shot dead by two unidentified assailants under mysterious circumstances at Mehandwani Gujran village in the Garhshankar subdivision of Hoshiarpur district on February 7. Police recovered three empty and four live pistol cartridges from the spot. According to the FIR, retired ASI Sham Lal stated that his wife left home around 5 am for a nearby religious place, Kutiya Bhuriwale, as part of her daily routine. The couple’s son, Amandeep, later received a call informing him that his mother was lying unconscious near the shrine and that gunshots had been heard. The police complaint further alleged that a youth sitting along the route to the shrine fired at Rachna Devi without provocation and fled the scene on a motorcycle along with another assailant.
06-Feb-2026
Police on February 6 arrested a woman, identified as Kabo, and seized 30 grams of heroin from her in Phillaur, Jalandhar district.